Tickets for the India vs Pakistan World Cup semifinal match in Mohali are not the only thing being sold at an inflated rate.
Media agencies say broadcaster ESPN Star is demanding between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 18 lakh per 10 seconds. It's a huge jump from the Rs 3.5 lakh for 10 seconds it charged at the league level. While some doubt whether ESPN Star will get what it wants, others are certain advertisers will pay up.
"India-England match was about 12 to 13 ...and it's India-Pakistan, it's semifinal, it's knock out...so between 15 and 20, if it is a good contest, is a safe bet," said MEC India MD T Gangadhar about the Television Rating Points.
So far, the tournament has delivered. The six India league matches did average ratings of 9.51, while non-India matches averaged close to 1.5 TRPs.
Broadcast sponsor Vodafone says response to live match coverage on mobiles has been 5 times higher than what the IPL garnered last year. Ground sponsor LG has received 50,000 applications for its cheer-leading squad. But will these guys buy more air-time?
"As an advertising platform the world cup rating for me would be, 5 or 5 and a half on 10, but as a sponsorship platform it is far more valuable to us," said LG India CMO LK Gupta.
"We could promote things differently if India gets into the finals and ride on the sentiment that Indians will have. After all, more than 50 million Indians were watching the India-England match. I am sure that the number will be higher when we go along. Unlikely though that we will buy more air time," said Vodafone Brand Communication VP Anuradha Agarwal.
The 42 league matches reached over 175 million households in the country, which is 48 per cent more than the previous world cup, and 30 per cent higher than IPL-3.
Media planners say available inventory for the finals will be sold only after the two finalists are penciled in. And if India is one of them, spot rates will go through the roof.
